Apparatus for picking up labels from a supply stack and directly applying the labels to containers

ABSTRACT

In a container-labeling machine, a cycloidal motion-inducing cam controls the pivoting movement of rotating label-holding shoes, causing all of the points of each shoe to move along a cycloidal path as the shoe approaches, picks up a label and withdraws from a stationary label stack holder. The cycloidal cusp approach-retreat path of the label shoe approximates uniform rolling contact of each shoe with a fresh label, assuring the application of smooth, untorn, unwrinkled labels to each new container. The camming arrangement is further adapted to maintain the arcuate-shaped, peripheral surface of each label shoe coincident with a circle having its center point on the central axis of rotation as the label-holding shoe passes into contact with an adhesion-inducing apparatus and then applies the label to the container. The label is held in intimate contact with the shoe by vacuum, and the labels applied to the container by disconnecting the vacuum or by supplying a pressure to the shoe&#39;&#39;s holding surface which is greater than atmospheric pressure. In the preferred embodiment, the labeling machine comprises three label-holding shoes each of which continually rotates at a constant speed about a central axis while having its pivoted positions about a second rotating axis controlled by the camming arrangement.

March 27, 1973 H. SCHALTEGGER 3,723,228 APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP LABELS FROM A SUPPLY STACK AND DIRECTLY APPLYING THE LABELS TO CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 8, 1971 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. f/[RBEHTSt/MLTEMER MATTERN WARE AND DAVIS ATTORNEYS 8 2 2 M m 2 6 7 W s ,A 4L 3 SR6 m% M I PAS PT UN 5% March 27, 1973 H. SCHALTEGGER TUS FOR PICKING UP LABELS FROM A DIRECTLY APPLYING THE LABELS TO APPARA AND Fi led Feb. 8, 1971 a, MM

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3,723,228 TACK March 1973 H. SCHALTEGGER APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP LABELS FROM A SUPPLY 5 AND DIRECTLY APPLYING THE LABELS TO CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 8, 1971 -5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 27, 1973 H. SCHALTEGGER 3,723,228 APPARATUS FOR FICKING UP LA LS FROM A SUPPLY STACK AND DIRECTLY APPLYING TH ABELS TO Filed Feb. 8, 1971 CONTAINERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 27, 1973 H. SCHALTEGGER 3,723,228 APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP LABELS FROM A SUPPLY STACK AND DIRECTLY APPLYING THE LABELS TO CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 8 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,723,228 APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP LABELS FROM A SUPPLY STACK AND DIRECTLY APPLYING THE LABELS T0 CONTAINERS Herbert Schaltegger, P.O. Box 293, New Milford, Conn. 06776 Filed Feb. 8, 1971, Ser. No. 113,174 Int. Cl. B65c 9/12 U.S. Cl. 156568 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a container-labeling machine, a cycloidal motioninducing cam controls the pivoting movement of rotating label-holding shoes, causing all of the points of each shoe to move along a cycloidal path as the shoe approaches, picks up a label and Withdraws from a stationary label stack holder. The cycloidal cusp approach-retreat path of the label shoe approximates uniform rolling contact of each shoe with a fresh label, assuring the application of smooth, untorn, unwrinkled labels to each new container. The camming arrangement is further adapted to maintain the arcuate-shaped, peripheral surface of each label shoe coincident with a circle having its center point on the central axis of rotation as the label-holding shoe passes into contact with an adhesion-inducing apparatus and then applies the label to the container. The label is held in intimate contact with the shoe by vacuum, and the label is applied to the container by disconnecting the vacuum or by supplying a pressure to the shoes holding surface which is greater than atmospheric pressure. In the preferred embodiment, the labeling machine comprises three labelholding shoes each of which continually rotates at a constant speed about a central axis while having its pivoted positions about a second rotating axis controlled by the camming arrangement.

This invention relates to labeling machines, and more particularly to high speed label applicators for the application of labels to various containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many varying types of labeling machines have been devised, and a typical conventional machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,591. Therein, a cam actuated gear arrangement controls the rocking movement of the label-holding surfaces as these surfaces individually remove a label from the stationary label holder. Also, this labeling machine seizes the labels from the label holder and secures the label on the holding surface by means of glue.

The major ditficulty inherent in such apparatus is its inability to position the label-holding surfaces accurately during label pickup. This inaccurate positioning is inherent because of the gear arrangement used to rock the label-holding surface during label pickup. This inherent gearing backlash causes inaccurate rocking motion which produces sliding movement of the rolling surface over the label holder, causing the label to wrinkle or to tear. This problem is minimized by using glue as the medium for picking up and holding the label to the surface since the glue is capable of compensating for some sliding movement. However, using glue for label pickup requires a slow operation, since labels will often not stick to the surface when rolled over at high speed.

Another disadvantage inherent with the use of glue is the requirement for frequent cleaning of the labelholding surfaces, especially after any interruption of operation, since interruptions will cause the glue to dry on the pickup surface. Also, an additional transfer opera- 3,723,228 Patented Mar. 27, 1973 tion is required to remove the label from the holding surface and then transfer it to the container since the printed surfaces face outwardly when the label is secured by glue to the holding surface. This additional transfer requires a more complicated mechanism which incorporates such devices as turrent grippers to remove the labels from the holding surface and then transfer them to the container. Such apparatus generally requires very close tolerances for the parts from which it is made, thus increasing the overall cost of the labeling machine.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a labeling machine that is inexpensive, simple to operate, and efiicient even at high speeds.

Another object of this invention is to provide a labeling machine of the above character that is capable of labeling almost an container regardless of size and shape.

Another object of this invention is to provide a labeling machine of the above character that is capable of handling inexpensive labels without wrinkling or tearing them, while also being able to coat the label with adhesive during the labeling operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a labeling machine of the above character that requires no complicated mechanism to handle the labels nor requires any equipment that must be made with very close tolerances.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the features, elements, combinations, and operating procedures disclosed in the following detailed description and as shown in the drawings SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The labeling machine, disclosed herein, eliminates tilt problems inherent in the prior art equipment, by providing a substantially cycloidal motion-inducing camming arrangement which controls the movement of the label-holding shoe during the label pickup operation. Also, the labeling machine of this invention is provided with suction apparatus to assure positive retention of the label on the label shoe, and pressure apparatus to assure positive transfer of the label from the label shoe to the container. The camming arrangement comprises cam rollers, controllably connected to the constantly rotating, pivoting shafts of the shoes and housed in a cam track designed to assure the proper cycloidal movement of the label shoe as it approaches the stationary label hopper, picks up a label, and withdraws from the hopper.

The substantially cycloidal induced approach and retreat motion of the label shoe is exeremely important, since it assures a smooth and continuous rolling contact between the shoe and the hopper as the top label is removed therefrom. After a label has been picked up, the camming arrangement positions and maintains the label shoe with its arcuate-shaped label holding surface forming a sector of a circle that is greater in diameter than the circle formed by the rotating shafts and concentric therewith. In one embodiment, the label shoe passes over a glue roller which applies glue to the unprinted side of the label before the label shoe comes into contact with the container on which the label is secured.

Since labels are held on the label shoe by means of suction, labels can be picked up and applied to the containers at very high speed. Furthermore, no complicated mechanisms or apparatus requiring close tolerances are employed, while simple adjustments render the labeling machine adaptable to any container regardless of size or shape. Consequently, the labeling machine of this invention eliminates the problems inherent in the prior art systems while being simple to operate, accurate in applying labels, and operable at very high speeds.

This invention accordingly comprises the features, elements, combinations, and operating procedures hereinafter disclosed, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a container-labeling production line showing two labeling machines of this invention in the process of depositing labels on the front and rear of a single container;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in cross-section, of a labeling machine of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same machine, taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the labeling machine of FIG. 2, showing the label shoes and its associated camming arrangement;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view detailing the motion of a single label shoe as it approaches the label hopper, picks up one label, and withdraws therefrom; and

FIG. 6 is a developed view of a second embodiment for the camming arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1, labeling machines are shown mounted on adjustable deck plates 21. Continuous conveyor belt 23 is positioned between deck plates 21 and carries containers 24 to be labeled. Deck plates 21 are laterally adjustable about pivot points 22 in order to assure proper contact between the labeling machines 20 and container 24.

Labeling machine 20 comprises a rotating housing 27 which is keyed to a rotating central shaft 28 and carries three label shoes 29, 30 and 31, which are pivotably mounted to housing 27 by means of shafts 33, 34, and 35. Shaft 28 rotates at a constant speed with shafts 33, 34, and controllably rotating in a fixed circle about shaft 28. Each of the label holding shoes 29, 30 and 31 incorporate a curved label holding surface 18.

Cooperating with each labeling machine 20 is a stationary label hopper 37 which holds the stacked labels to be picked up by the label shoes, and a glue roller 38 which applies the glue to each label. The labels are stacked in hopper 37 with the printed surface facing the label shoe. This allows the label shoe to present the unprinted surface to glue roller 38 and container 24 in a single operation. Cooperating with glue roller 38 are a glue supply tank 39 and a glue spreader 40. Spreader 40 not only applies the glue to roller 38, but also doctors roller 38 to maintain the desired glue thickness thereon.

The detailed construction of labeling machine 20 can best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Labeling machine 20 is secured to a deck plate 21 by means of an underlying supporting plate 43 and various depending supporting posts represented by a post 44. Plate 43 is thus held in position below deck plate 21 and parallel thereto by means of posts 44. A stationary hub housing 45 is secured to plate 43 by means of a nut 47. Shaft 28 is rotatably journaled in stationary housing 45 and held in position by a bolt 48, threaded on the upper end of shaft 28 surmounting the rotating housing 27, which is keyed to shaft 28. A sprocket wheel 49 is also keyed to shaft 28 and is used to controllably rotate shaft 28.

Label pickup shoes 29, 30 and 31 are mounted to shafts 33, 34 and 35, respectively. Shoes 29, 30 and 31 are vertically adjustable along their respective shafts by means of set screws 50. When the proper vertical adjustment has been made, set screws 50 are tightened and shoes 29, 30 and 31 are thus fixedly mounted to their respective shafts. Shafts 33, 34 and 35 are pivotably journaled in rotating housing 27 and have gear and cam brackets 46, 52 and 53 fixedly mounted at the base of each shaft. Bracket 46 comprises a gear tooth portion 51 and a cam follower roller assembly 55. Bracket 52 comprises a gear tooth portion 54 and a cam follower roller assembly 56. Similarly, bracket 53 comprises a gear tooth portion 57 and a cam follower roller assembly 58. As will be described in more detail below, cam follower rollers assemblies 55, 56, and 58 cooperate with cam track 59 to controllably pivot shafts 33, 34, and 35 and the fixedly mounted label shoes 29', 30, and 31. Also mounted to plate 43 is an optional upstanding bracket 64 which incorporates a gear tooth rack portion 65. Bracket 64 is used to aid the movement of each label shoe during label pickup by engaging with the gear tooth sector portion of each bracket and help in guiding the movement of the pivoting shaft.

Each label pickup shoe comprises a cavity 66 along the label securing surface which is partially filled with an air pervious material A such as felt, foam rubber, polymer foam, felted or matted synthetic fibers, or the like. Port 67 communicates with cavity 66 at one end while its other end has flexible tubing 68 connected thereto. The other end of flexible tubing 68 is connected to port 69 of rotating housing 27 which communicates at its other end with a port 70. The open end of port 70 of rotating housing 27 communicates with a sector-shaped recess 72 of stationary housing 45. Also connected to recess 72 is suction inlet port 73, which is connected to suction supplying apparatus, not shown. Stationary housing 45 also incorporates an adjacent second sector-shaped cavity 76, best seen in FIG. 3. Communicating with cavity 76 is compressed air inlet port 77 which is connected to a compressed air supply line, not shown.

Recess 72 and its associated suction means along with ports 70, 67, and 69 and flexible tube 68 assure that the label to be applied will be picked up and securely held on the label shoe face by vacuum until the label is to be deposited on the container. The suction apparatus which is connected to suction inlet port 73, reduces the pressure throughout recess 72 and the ports and tubing which communicate with it. This in turn reduces the pressure in cavity 66 and provides a positive, clean arrangement for securing a label to the surface of the label shoe by atmospheric pressure, without resorting to such undesirable adhesives as glue.

In order to securely deposit the label on to the container at the desired moment, the pressure in cavity 66 is changed from one that is below atmospheric to one that is atmospheric or greater than atmospheric. This is accomplished by means of cavity 76, compressed air inlet port 77 and the compressed air supply that is connected to port 77. Cavity 76 is positioned at the angular point where the rotating label shoe comes in contact with the container, and cavity 76 extends through an arcuate distance that approximates the surface contact between the shoe and a container.

In operation, one of the inlet ports 70 of rotating housing 27 will pass out of communication with suction exposed cavity 72 and into communication with cavity 76 which is exposed to compressed air. Exposure of the tubing arrangement of each of label shoe to the compressed air cavity will cause the pressure in cavity 66 of each label shoe to be increased to one that is greater than atmospheric. Since surface 65A comprises an air pervious material, the compressed air will force the label away from the label shoe and onto the container. It should be apparent that this arrangement provides a clean and efiicient positive label pickup, label retention, and label transfer directly to the container.

FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of the labeling machine of FIG. 2 with the deck plate 21 removed, thereby clearly exhibiting cam track 59 in plate 43. Since shafts 33, 34, and 35 are pivotably journaled in rotating housing 27, these shafts rotate about shaft 28 at a constant speed in a circular path represented by dotted line 80, having a radius represented by R As previously described, eaoh pickup label shoe is fixedly secured to its respective pivoting shaft, and each shaft incorporates a bracket, keyed at the base of the shaft, and incorporating a gear tooth section and a cam roller assembly.

Cam roller assembly 55, comprising an integral arm 60 and a cam follower roller 61, has one end of arm 60 fixedly mounted to a bracket 46 which is keyed to shaft 33 and incorporates a gear portion 51. Cam roller 61 is rotatably mounted to the other end of arm 60 and positioned for cooperation with cam track 59.

Cam roller assembly 56, comprising integral arm 62 and cam roller 63, has one end of arm 62 fixedly mounted to bracket 52 which is keyed to shaft 34 and incorporates gear tooth portion '54. Cam roller 63 is rotatably mounted to the other end of arm 62in position for cooperation with cam track 59.

Similarly, cam roller assembly 58, comprising integral arm 74 and roller 75, has one end of arm 74 fixedly mounted to bracket 53 which is keyed to shaft 35 and incorporates gear tooth portion 57. Cam roller 75 is rotatably mounted to the other end of arm 74 and positioned for cooperation with cam track 59.

In operation, cam roller assemblies 55, 56, and 58 control the pivoting movement of their respective shafts along with the consequent simultaneous pivoting movement of the label pickup shoes carried by those shafts. Through about 150 of the rotation of each label pickup shoe, the arcuate label holding surface of the shoe coincides with the circle represented by dotted line 93 having a radius of R Circle 93 is concentric with circle 80, and by positions of phantom label pickup shoe 85 and shoe 30 are representative of the shoes circle-conforming position.

During the remaining 200 of rotation, the cam roller assemblies associated with each pivotable shaft cause each shaft to pivot angularly about its own central axis as each shaft constantly rotates about shaft 28 defining circle 80. The pivoting movement of each shaft causes its associated pickup label shoe to pivot similarly. Since cam track 59 controls the movement of each cam roller assembly and the resulting movement of each label pickup shoe, cam track 59 is designed to cause each label pickup shoe to begin pivoting as it approaches stationary label hopper 90, advance toward hopper 90 with each point on the surface of each shoe following a cycloidal cusp path until contact is made with the outermost label presented by hopper 90, move away from hopper 90 along another cycloidal path, and then pivot back to the normal position described above. "FIG. 4 illustrates these successive positions.

The beginning stages of each shoes controlled pivoting movement is represented by phantom shoe 86, while the final stages of the controlled pivoting motion is represented by shoe 29. The cycloidal approach of each label pickup shoe is represented by phantom shoe 87 and shoe 31, the cusp of the cycloidal with the central axis of the label shoe in contact with the central axis of the hopper 90 is represented by phantom shoe 88, and the cycloidal retreat of the label shoe is represented by phantom shoe 89.

In the preferred embodiment, every point on the surface of the label shoe approaches the stationary label hopper substantially along a cycloidal path, comes in contact with the hopper at the cusp of the cycloidal, and withdraws from hopper 90 substantially along a second cycloidal path. The cycloidal movement of each label, pickup shoe as it approaches and withdraws from the label hopper assures a smooth and continuous rolling contact between the shoes holding surface and the label to be picked up. With this smooth rolling contact, no lateral forces are placed upon the label and, therefore, no label wrinkling or label tearing occurs.

To provide further assurance of a smooth rolling contact between the label shoe and the label to be picked up, stationary gear teeth 65 of upstanding bracket 64, shown in FIG. 2, mesh with the gear portion of the brackets which are keyed to the base of each pivoting shaft. While the cam roller and track arrangement induces a cycloidal motion to the label pickup shoes, the gear teeth arrangement provides a positive guide for the movement of the shoe across the label face while assuring the desired amount of contact between the soft, air pervious surface of the shoe and the label to be picked up. This cooperatively associated gear tooth arrangement, while helpful in providing smooth rolling motion of the shoe across the label, is an optional feature since the cam roller assembly can be designed to effectively control the desired smooth, rolling, cycloidal motion of the label shoes.

A. schematic representation of the various stages of the cam controlled label shoes approach and withdrawal from the stationary label hopper is presented in FIG. 5. In the preferred embodiment, essentially every point along the label contacting surface of the shoe approaches and withdraws from the stationary label hopper along a path that closely approximates a cycloid, while contacting the top label at the cusp of the cycloid. This cycloidal motion is substantially identical to the motion of all points on the periphery of a cylindrical container as the container rolls over the top label.

Assuming the cylinder has a radius of R (FIG. 4), the points on the cylinder define a cycloidal path 151 (FIG. 5) as the cylinder approaches and passes the right edge of top label 101. Similarly, the points of the cylinder define a cycloidal path 152 as the left edge of the label is approached and passed. This type of rolling motion is preferred, and far surpasses in effectiveness the prior art label pick-up shoe apparatus since substantially all skidding or sliding movement is eliminated and label wrinkling and tearing are consequently prevented.

For exemplary purposes, the guiding controlled movement of cam roller 75 in cam track 59 is depicted through twelve sequential steps in FIG. 5. The central axis of the cam roller 75 is represented by x, while the central axis of the angularly pivoting shaft 35, shown in FIG. 4, is represented by y. Since pivoting shaft 35 rotates about shaft 28 in a fixed radius, represented by R axis y of FIG. 5 is positioned on circle 80, whose radius is R throughout the sequential steps. The label-holding surface 65A of the label shoe is represented throughout the sequential steps by the arcuate shaped lines of FIG. 5 and is defined therein by the numerical step shown with a representing the leading edge, b representing the center, and 0 representing the trailing edge of the arcuate shaped surface. As fully described above, each arcuate line represents equal sectors of a circle which has a radius of R forming label-holding surface 65A.

The cycloidal path approach and withdrawal of the label-holding surface is best seen by referring to the center point of the arcuate surface. By following path which connects center point b for positions 3 through 15, the cycloidal approach and withdrawal with its cuspshaped, single-point contact with the top label surface 101 can be clearly seen from position 65A to 12b in FIG. 5. The cycloidal approach, single-point contact, and cycloidal withdrawal assures that no lateral forces will be generated and provides a clean, rolling type contact between the label-holding surface and labels of the label hopper.

Path 106 represents the leading edge a of the label holding surface as the shoe approaches the label hopper from position 4 through position 15. As can be clearly seen from comparing path 106 with path 151, the leading edge of the label shoe follows the cycloidal path from 6a to 12a. Prior to position 6, the label shoe s being pivoted from its normal position to its label pick-up position. Similarly, after position 12, the label shoe is being pivoted from its final label pick-up position back to its normal position. The single-point contact between the leading edge a of the shoe and the top label 101 is made at point 7a, which coincides with the cusp of the cycloid.

Similarly, the cycloidal motion of the other trailing edge of the label shoe, represented by 0, can be clearly seen by comparing path 107 with path 152. Path 107 represents the path edge of the label shoe follows from positions 3 to 14. As with leading edge a of the label shoe, edge c follows the cycloidal path from positions 6 to 12, while contacting top label 101 at position 110 at the cusp of the cycloid.

It is evident from FIG. 5 that every point on the label holding surface approaches and withdraws from the top label of the Stationary label hopper along a cycloidal path, while contacting the top label at the cusp of the cycloid. This cycloidal motion at every point must occur since the camming arrangement causes the label shoes to follow a substantially perfect cycloidal path from position 6 to position 12 and the first cycloidal cusp, single-point contact is made at position 7 while the last contact is at position 11. Consequently, all remaining cycloidal cusp, single-point contacts between the label shoes and the top labels must be made between positions 7 and 11, when the label shoes are following the cycloidal path. The resulting effect of this cycloidal motion of every point is a rolling movement of the label holding surface across the top label of the label hopper.

Path 108 exemplifies the movement of a point p on the surface of the label shoe as it travels from position 6 to position 12. As can be clearly seen, point 1 approaches and withdraws from the top label of the label hopper along a cycloidal path, while contacting the top label at a single point at the cusp of the cycloid. Regardless of the exact shape of a particular path which a particular point follows as it initially approaches, and finally withdraws from the top label of the label hopper, every point on the label holding surface of the label shoe will contact the top label of the label hopper at a single point on a path which is equivalent to or closely approximates the cusp of the cycloid.

In the preferred embodiment, the contacting points between the label holding surface of the label shoe and the top label of the label hopper lie in a single plane. However, because of manufacturing imperfections and wear during use, the contacting points might not all lie in the same plane. Such an occurrence will have no detrimental effect, since the constructions of the label hopper and the label holding shoe incorporate compensating factors. The air-pervious label holding surface of the label shoe is made of a soft pliable material, while the label hopper is provided with springs or other resilient labelbiasing means to maintain the stacked labels at the top of the label hopper with sufficient air-film separation from each following label to assure easy label pick-up. The combination of these two features allows the contacting tangent rolling plane of the label shoe and the presentation plane of top label to overlap sufficiently to compensate for any inherent mechanical imperfection, while assuring positive label pick-up and holding.

Furthermore, the desired rolling contact between the label holding surface and the top label of the label hopper is assured by the inter-action between gears 57 and 65, shown in FIG. 2. As previously described, the action of these optional gears provides another positive, controlling guide to assure non-skid rolling contact between the label holding shoe and top label.

As will be evident to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made to this invention without departing from the concept herein disclosed. Examples of such variations include, without limitation, employing a connecting arm which is shorter than the one previously disclosed. This changes the shape of the kidney-shaped cam track, and allows it to become more circular. Depending upon the manufacturing costs involved in holding close tolerances on an irregularly shaped surface, the more circular track may be desirable.

Also, a camming arrangement, similar to the arrangement provided for label pick-up, can also be employed during label transfer. This type of label shoe pivoting with its resulting rolling contact would preferably be used for supplying labels to advancing and simultaneously revolving cylindrical containers to assure secure label transfer from the shoe to a substantial peripheral area of the container.

In FIG. 6, another variation for the cam roller assembly and cam track is shown. Instead of using a single cam roller, a single arm, and a single cam track, the forces generated on the cam roller and the arm can be substantially reduced by employing a cam roller assembly which cooperates with cam tracks 121 and 12 2. Cam roller assembly 120 incorporates V-shaped arm 123 and cam rollers 124 and 125 which are rotatably mounted at the end of V-shaped arm 123. Cam roller 124 is mounted within cam track 121 while cam roller 125 is mounted within track 122. Center point 127 is connected to the particular pivoting shaft to control its movement as described above. The use of two cam rollers and two cam tracks reduces the forces generated with the single cam roller and track arrangement, by allowing only the out side surface of each track to control the movement of the cam follower roller cooperatively associated therewith. It is evident that any shape of arm, such as a straight bracket, can be adapted for use with two or more cam rollers.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently obtained and, since certain changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative so as to obtain the benefit of all equivalents to which the invention is fairly entitled.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for picking up indicia-bearing labels from a stationary label supply stack and directly applying the labels to containers comprising:

(A) a cycle-driven, pivotal shoe having at least one curved label-holding surface;

(B) guide means moving the shoe along an advanceand-retreat path of movement and presenting the label-holding surface to the indicia-bearing surface of the label;

(C) means for securely retaining one label on the labelholding surface following contact between the surface and the label;

(D) means for applying glue to the non-indicia-bearing surface of the retained label before its direct transfer to the container; and

(E) said shoe being presented for directly applying the retained glue-coated label to the container thereby eliminating the need for intermediate transfer of the label to a reorientation drum before application of the label to the container.

2. Apparatus for picking up labels from a stationary label supply stack and applying the labels to containers, comprising:

(A) a cycle-driven, pivotal shoe having at least one curved label-holding surface;

(B) a cam follower assembly integrally connected to the shoe and forming a unitary rigid structure therewith;

(C) a cam track cooperatively associated with the cam follower assembly to pivot the shoes label-holding surface with at least one point on the surface approaching the label supply stack along a substantially cycloidal cusp-shaped path, contacting the top label of the label supply stack substantially at the cusp of the cycloid without tangential skidding motion, and withdrawing from the label supply stack along the cycloidal cusp-shaped path;

(D) means for securely retaining one label on the label-holding surface following contact between the surface and the label;

(E) means for applying glue to the retained label before its transfer to the container; and

(F) said pivotal shoe being presented for directly applying the retained glue-coated label to the container.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the cam follower assembly comprises:

(a) a connecting arm integrally joined to the labelholding surface, and

(b) a follower roller rotatably mounted to the connecting arm and cooperatively associated with the camming surface.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said cam follower assembly incorporates at least two rollers rotatably mounted to the connecting arm.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the cam track is cooperatively associated with the cam follower assembly and shoe to pivot said shoe with every point on the label-holding surface thereof approaching the label supply stack along a substantially cycloidal cusp-shaped path, contacting the top label of the label supply stack substantially at the cusp of the cycloid and withdrawing from the label supply stack along the cycloidal cuspshaped path.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the label holding surface of said shoe means comprises a soft, pliable, air pervious material.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the retaining means comprises a tubing arrangement communieating with the air pervious material on said surface and connectable to a suction supply line, allowing the label to be securely held to the surface by means of atmospheric pressure.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising a tubing arrangement communicating with the air pervious material and connectable to a compressed air supply for a positive label displacement force during transfer of the label from the holding surface to the container.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the glue applying means comprises a glue supply roller adapted to spread glue onto a surface of the label prior to its transfer to the container.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

(G) a gear sector bracket integrally connected with the label-holding surface; and

(H) a stationary toothed rack cooperatively associated with the gear sector bracket, providing a positive guiding controlled movement of the label-holding surface across the label supply stack during label pick-up.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

(G) a cycle-driven housing; and

(H) at least one supporting shaft, pivotably journaled in the housing and integrally connected to the cam follower assembly, while rigidly supporting the shoe means for presentation of the label-holding surface of the shoe means to the indicia-bearing surface of the label, to provide direct transfer of the label to the container without an intermediate transfer.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the shoe means is adjustably mounted to the supporting shaft.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the cycledriven, pivoting shoe incorporates a pivoting axis sweeping a circular path about a rotation axis during each driving cycle.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the shoes curved label-holding surface coincides with the path periphery of the cycle-driven shoe in non-pivoting tangent rolling juxtaposition with the periphery of said container at a label-applying station in the cycle of shoe-rotation where the peripheral tangent shoe velocity substantially matches the linear velocity of said container.

15. Label transfer apparatus for picking up and applying labels to containers, comprising:

(A) a cycle-driven, pivotal shoe having at least one curved label-holding surface;

(B) a cam follower assembly integrally connected to the shoe and forming a unitary rigid structure therewith;

(C) a cam track cooperatively associated with the cam follower assembly to pivot the shoes label-holding surface with at least one point on the surface approaching at least one label transfer area along a substantially cycloidal cusp-shaped path, contacting the label transfer area substantially at the cusp of the cycloid without tangential skidding motion, and withdrawing from the label transfer area along the cycloidal cusp-shaped path;

(D) means for securely retaining one label on the label-holding surface;

(E) means for applying glue to the retained label before its transfer to the container; and

(F) said pivotal shoe being presented for directly applying the retained glue-coated label to the container.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the cam track:

(A) produces the cusp-shaped path at a label pick-up area; and

(B) pivots the shoes label-holding surface at a labelapplying area forming a common tangent zone of the holding surface and the container which progresses across the containers external surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,591,168 7/1971 Zodrow 156-571 X 2,626,074 1/1953 Vogt 156-571 X 2,520,628 8/1950 Elsner 156-571 PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 156571 

